Transformation - Annual Report 2015 - The Harris Center | Page 10

BLUEPRINTS FOR THE FUTURE We are proud of the progress we made during this fiscal year, and are happy about the lives that felt the positive impact of our work. We also celebrate the increased attention to mental health. The urgency for appropriate supports for mental health and intellectual/ developmental disability (IDD) needs is ever present in our community. The Harris Center is committed to providing the highest quality of care for the individuals we serve. We are adapting to the growing community need, reaching more lives and enhancing our service to each person. As part of this effort, we participated in the Review of Harris County Mental Health Systems Performance by the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. In Fiscal Year 2015, The Harris Center was selected as one of 16 sites across Texas to participate in a statewide trauma-informed learning collaborative. Through this pilot program, our vision is to transition to a heightened sense of respect, awareness and understanding among the mental health and IDD community by advocating for change in the way we view and respond to trauma. We began preparing for a quality improvement initiative that will extend to every area of our Center. We will outline details of these and other improvement efforts in future publications. Challenges and growing pains were present during this fiscal year. Key areas of our IDD programs, like Early Childhood Intervention and Applied Behavior Analysis, endured budget cuts while the waiting list for home and community based services in Texas showed little improvement. Recruiting and hiring psychiatrists and licensed professionals of the healing arts is still a competitive battle across the state, as the need for mental health care and IDD supports continues to grow. These and other challenges highlight the changing and demanding landscape in which we operate today. It also intensifies our dedication to serve individuals with the best care possible. We envision further carrying out this mission in Fiscal Year 2016 and are devoted to helping bring positive transformation to every person we serve. 8 | The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD